Cinder Hills Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Coconino County, Arizona at about 2,152 m (7,060 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Flagstaff, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Cinder Hills Overlook lies NE of town).
From the National Park Service
The Cinder Hills Overlook provides spectacular views of Sunset Crater Volcano and additional cinder hills within the San Francisco Volcanic Field. You can park along the overlook loop road, enjoy the view, take a moment, and snap some photos. This is also an excellent spot for bird watching and observing wildlife. No trails are accessible from this location but hiking opportunities are available nearby at the Lava Flow Trail and within the Coconino National Forest.
The overlook is located near the boundaries of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and Coconino National Forest, managed by the US Forest Service (USFS). These agencies have different land management policies which determine visitor use and access. You may see off-road vehicles or people camping in nearby areas.
NPS preserves natural and cultural resources and values, protects them for future generations, and provides opportunities for research, education, and discovery. This means resources are preserved and protected in their natural or historical state. Visitors hike on designated trails or within specified boundaries, leaving other areas closed to visitation to protect fragile environments.
USFS cares for the land and serves the people, maintaining the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands through sustainable multiple-use policies. Off-highway vehicles, hunting, wood cutting, and dispersed camping are activities allowed in some USFS areas but prohibited throughout the national monument.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cinder Hills Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 60° ENE | 7:45 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:22 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 47m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cinder Hills Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:30 PM – 3:20 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:26 PM – 1:56 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:49 PM – 11:49 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:00 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69 | 73 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 106 | 106 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this scenic viewpoint
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cinder Hills Overlook, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Volcano
Fire Lookout
Mountain Peak
VolcanoVolcanoVolcanoVolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Oleary Group Site4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Bonito Campground (Az)4.8 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Lockett Meadow Campground11.9 km (7.4 mi)
- Little Elden Springs Horsecamp12.7 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Kendrick Cabin23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cinder Hills Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Cinder Hills Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cinder Hills Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cinder Hills Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cinder Hills Overlook?
How far is Cinder Hills Overlook from Flagstaff?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service, USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.